My students think it's weird that a grown up still plays games, but I still like it!

I admire you, Ursusdraconis. My chemistry teacher back in high school was the one who inspired me to study chemistry at university. I loved it too. Too bad I'm not in the industry anymore….

I once wanted to be a chemistry teacher and studied BSc (chem)/BEd, but I got scared of teaching kids… they can be quite crazy. I don't think I am as charismatic as my teacher back in high school. I did tutor 1st and 2nd year university students though

I loved Chemistry at school … until the part with the calculations came …

— “ Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.“ (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)

I wouldn't mind retiring in a few years like you vurt !
Unfortunately, my other wants in life will stop me from doing that. I love travelling and unless I win the lottery, I will not be able to travel to places I want without money I'm earning.

I am looking forward to my next holidays, even though they'll just be regular beach holidays. It's nice to have those once in a while too.

Yes they can be crazy but at least i feel my job has meaning.
I had a research job for about a year and the only thing i did was shooting at crystals with a laser ( wait that sounds cool, but it wasn't). I did measurements that probably nobody will use for anything ever….. Made me feel useless.

Now i hope to make a difference for the kids, i know it won't make me a millionaire, but it does make me happy!

Originally Posted by Ursusdraconis
Teaching the kids is why i love my job.

Yes they can be crazy but at least i feel my job has meaning.
I had a research job for about a year and the only thing i did was shooting at crystals with a laser ( wait that sounds cool, but it wasn't). I did measurements that probably nobody will use for anything ever….. Made me feel useless.

Now i hope to make a difference for the kids, i know it won't make me a millionaire, but it does make me happy!

Originally Posted by Ursusdraconis
Teaching the kids is why i love my job.

Yes they can be crazy but at least i feel my job has meaning.
I had a research job for about a year and the only thing i did was shooting at crystals with a laser ( wait that sounds cool, but it wasn't). I did measurements that probably nobody will use for anything ever….. Made me feel useless.

Now i hope to make a difference for the kids, i know it won't make me a millionaire, but it does make me happy!

That's okay, I know several millionaires and I can't think of one that is truly happy. They've got the nice houses and cars but most of them work 70 hours a week. I've given up several promotions because I don't want to be one of these people. I make enough to get by and that's good enough.

Originally Posted by crpgnut
That's okay, I know several millionaires and I can't think of one that is truly happy. They've got the nice houses and cars but most of them work 70 hours a week. I've given up several promotions because I don't want to be one of these people. I make enough to get by and that's good enough.

Exactly. I know a few people who have plenty of money but are not happy at all.

I left my last job making a good bit of money because I was working to much and not getting to enjoy life like I wanted. Remember, work to live. Do not live to work. Make enough to be safe and take care of your family of course but as long as you don't buy things for material displays of wealth, its easy to get by. That doesn't mean deny yourself something you want but be smart about it.

But what a lot of people don't understand about themselves is that they have a "convenience threshold" or a "pleasure threshold" at which point the joy or benefit you gain is all but undetectable. This is the point at which sacrificing something significant to attain "more" is counterproductive.

This is especially true with our pathetically stupid monetary system - because with limited resources, more (of nothing) for one person often means less (of something) for another person.